Fabric tensioning method and means



t, 1944. A. HOFMANN EIAL 2,362,485

FABRIC TENSIONING METHOD AND MEANS Filed March 1, 1941 SSheets-Sheet 1 A 40 122 1e 51 W 1 6 15! :lal 5 jg 76 6 a4 '9. 5 62m 4 w i L i8 ,1 80 M 24 1/6 3; 74 Z Inventors l T 0 106 WaZterHa/"mm .5 E 3 I Nov. 14,1944. AJHOFMANN ET AL FABRIC TENSIONING METHOD AND MEANS 7 Filed March I, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q NES [mew/Z2716 .flfired llafiiz azzrz & Walter llarz rmrzzz NOV. 14, 1944. H F N ETAL 2,362,485

FABRIC TENSIONING METHOD AND MEANS I FiIedMarch 1, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 3- lllllrlll ll lllllllllll I 6 7\ 36 if? ,2? P 11/ g .52 N

38 G (A 5345 122944! 4166 M W k 14 370 .50 61 Inventors 6 filfiwd ifofmaizlz? 1 q P Walterlfartzrazrm if 8 70 WT 1; Z2 fiitamzgy Patented Nov. 14, 1944 FABRIC TENSIONING METHOD AND MEANS Alfred Hofmann, Palisade, and Walter Hartmann, Paterson, N. J., asslgnors to Alfred Hoimann,

Inc., West New York, N. J.

Application March 1, 1941, Serial No. 381,254

2': Claims. (01. 66-149) The present invention relates to the art of knitting and, more particularly, to a method of, and means for, tensioning fabric, especially the welt fabrics of stockings knitted on fullfashioned flat hosiery knitting machines.

As is well known in the art, full-fashioned knitting machines include a plurality of duplicated knitting sections operating in unison to knit separate stocking blanks which, as the knitting thereof progresses, are withdrawn from the needles by the so-callea draw-off mechanismf- For the purpose of Withdrawing and forming the welt fabric portions of the stocking blanks, there are employed welt bars and welt rods, the latter being utilized also in the withdrawal of the stocking fabric portions knitted beyond the welt fabric portions. In those machines supplied with certain types of automatic welt turning attachments, separate means are used to actupon the welt bars and welt rods respectively, for effecting the withdrawal of the knitted fabrics.

The present invention primarily contemplates the provision of improved means adapted to receive and hold the welt rods for operation in unison in all the knitting sections of the machine, whereby said welt rods may simultaneously be placed on the welt fabrics in the positions from which the welt rod engaging and draw-off means may conveniently be operated to remove the welt rods from their holding means and actuate said welt rods to withdraw the fabrics being knitted on the knitting machine.

It has 'also heretofore been proposed to lay in the welt rods in unison'by means of welt rod holder arms mounted on a shaft for maintaining the welt rods against the fabric by a spring action exerted on the -rotative action of said shaft. This arrangement, however, has the disadvantage that the welt rods will exert a heavier strain on the fabric of those sections which happen to have a tighter loop formation, thus leaving the fabric of other sections under relatively less tension, which is a considerable disadvantage.

It is, therefore, one of the most important objects of the invention to provide welt rod holders operable in unison wherein, however, the strains exerted on the fabrics knitted Within the sections of the machine by the placing of said welt rods thereon is automatically controlled between the various sections through the individual self-adjusting and automatically acting arrangement of co-related parts.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby the welt rod holders, together with the welt rods held thereby, may be used as a temporary fabric tensioning device during an intermediate phase of operation prior to the automatic turning of the welt portions.

It is furthermore intended to provide means on the welt rod operating device facilitating the insertion of the welt rods into their holders at any convenient time available to the operator before rendering the device operable into position for its function; to provide means enabling suitable support of the welt rods for exerting the desired temporary tensioning action on the fabric; and to provide means permitting easy withdrawal of the rods, disengaging them from their supports througha path other than that through which the welt rods were inserted into said supports preparatory to their operative purposes.

'The invention is particularly characterized by the novel elements, features of construction, and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship as more fully disclosed in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, reference to which will make the objects above recited,

' as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, more readily apparent.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan of portions of a knitting machine provided with one type of welt rod draw-off device and illustrating our improved welt rod support and operative mechanism associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a transversal cross section of the same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional detail of parts of the draw-off wareroller device I Figure 4 is a transversal cross section through one head thereof;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan of portions of a knitting machine provided With another type of welt rod draw-off device and illustrating our improved rod supporting and operating mechanism associated therewith;

Figure 6 is a transversal cross section of the same;

Figure 7 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the welt rod holding members with certain parts in cross section;

Figure 8 is a detail of the means for maintaining the mechanism in operative or inoperative position; I

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail illustrating the mode of engaging the welt rod with its holding member;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 illus-' trating the mode of disengaging the welt rod from its holding member;

Figures 11 to 14 inclusive are somewhat diagrammatic representations illustrating various stages in the operation of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the invention is shown as embodied in a multiple section hosiery knitting machine of the full-fashionedtype of which only those parts are illustrated as are necessary to show the improved mechanism in its position in relation to other parts of the machine. For this purpose, the knitting needles are indicated at N, the table at T, and the wareroller shaft at S.

Mounted in transversal relationship to the table T and the wareroller shaft S are guides G for the welt bars B, having welt hooks H preferably formed with offset portions P.

In accordance with this invention, each knitting section of the machine is provided with a pair of complementary welt rod holding members 28 rigidly attached to a common shaft 22 extending throughout the length of the'machine and conveniently mounted for rotation on the table T.' As will appear from the drawings, the shaft 22 is located preferably in the well W of the table T and is rotatingly retained therein by means of suitable bearings such as indicated at 23.

Each welt rod holding member, as shown in the drawings (particularly in Figure 7 thereof), comprises a bracket 24 preferably having a split construction to constitute a bearing 26 and relatively short and elongated extensions 28 and 38 respectively. The provision of the bearing 26, it will be understood, affords convenient means for attaching the bracket 24 of the welt rod holding members to the shaft 22 and permits the adjustment of said brackets longitudinally and transversely of said shaft, which brackets may be clamped in their adjusted position on the shaft by tightening a bolt 3| provided on the bracket for that purpose.

Pivoted to the relatively short extension 28 by means of a suitable element, such as a riveted laterally section so as to clear adjacent parts on the machine, such as the welt bar guidesG.

Arranged in longitudinal and transversal adjustment on the projection 36 is a plate 38 adapted to be fixed in its adjusted position on said projection 36 by means of a locking screw 48. Disposed upon one side of the plate 36, that is, the side thereof facing towards the center of the associated knitting section, is a generally V- shaped member 42 pivoted at its apex on a pin, as indicated at 44, and having its diverging branches .46 and 48 located for cooperation with a block 50 carried by the plate 38 in the manner to be hereinafter described. The member 42 is yieldably maintained in its normal position by means of a leaf spring 52 conveniently secured to the plate 38 by suitable fastening'elements, such as screws 54, and engaging the marginal edge of one branch 46 of said member 38. It

urged into contact with the relatively long extension 30 of said bracket by means of a leaf spring 56 adapted to bear with adjustable pressure upon said arm 34 by the function of a headed bolt 58 freely passing between the forked sections of the arm 34 and in screw-threaded gzigagement with the extension 30 of the bracket Retention of the leaf spring 56 in proper relationship with the arm 34 may be assured by cutting away a portion of said spring, as is indicated at 68, to provide fingers 62 engaging opposite sides of the arm 34, and thuspreventing lateral displacement of said spring 56.

The pairs of complementary welt rod holders 20 being attached to the shaft 22 in the manner heretofore stated, it will be appreciated that said holders throughout the entire length of the multi section machine may be moved simultaneously into their operative position, that is, in the position indicated in full lines in Figures 2 and 6, by rotating in the direction of the arrow, or into their inoperative position, that is, in the position indicated in dotted lines in said Figures 2 and 6 by rotating the shaft 22 in the direction opposite to that represented by the arrow.

In order to facilitate the rotation of the shaft 22, the latter may be provided with a handle 64 whereas in order to prevent accidental rotation of said shaft, the same may be provided with a dual faced c'am block 66 cooperatively associated with a spring actuated bar 68 suitably mounted on the table T as more clearly shown in Figure 8, to engage the face 69 of the cam block when the handle 64 is swung to the position indicated in full lines to rotate the shaft in the direction of the arrow for placing the welt rod holders 20 in their operative position, and to engage the face 10 of said block when the handle is swung to the position indicated in dotted lines to rotate the shaft in the direction opposite to that represented by the arrow for placing the welt rod holders in their inoperative position.

It will .be understood that when the welt rod holders are moved to their inoperative position, the plates 38 become located somewhat in the position represented in Figure 9, that is, the branches 46 and 48 of the V-shaped member 42 extend in a general upward direction. Therefore, the welt rods B may. readily be placed in engagement with their associated holders by introducing, as illustrated in Figure 9, each end of a welt rod into the path I defined by the branch 45 of member 42, by the block 50, and by the adjoining surface of the corresponding plate 38.

For that purpose, it will be noted that the branch 46 is formed with a camming edge II which causes the pivotal movement of the member 42 in thedirection of arrow Y against the action of the spring 52 and guides the rod under yieldable frictional pressure into the pit I2 of said member 42, whereupon the latter is returned to its normal position by said spring 52, the camming edge H then functioning in cooperation with the other branch 48 and the block 58 on the associated plate 38 to hold the rod, as more clearly shown in Figure '7. Thus the welt rods are positively retained within their holders, the pairs of complementary plates coacting to preventlongitudinal displacement of the rods, and the V-shaped members 42 and blocks 58 coacting to prevent lateral displacement of said rods.

When the welt rod holders and the welt rods retained thereby are moved to their operative position, the plates 38 become located somewhat in the position represented inv Figure 10, that is, the branches of the V-shaped member 42 extend in a general downward direction. Therefore, the welt rods R may readily be removed from engagement with their holders by withdrawing, as illustrated in said Figure 10, each end of a rod through the path If defined by the branch 40 of member 42, by the block 50, and by the adjoining surface of the corresponding plate 38. For that purpose, the block 50 preferably is formed with a camming edge I3 which causes the pivotal movement of the member 42 in the direction of arrow Z against the action of spring 52 and guides the'rod under yieldable frictional pressure during its withdrawal due to the resilient pressing action of the said spring 52 against the camming portion 55 of said member 42;

Whereas the withdrawal of the welt rods R may be effected through the utilization of any suitable well known draw-off mechanism, such as that usually provided on fiat full-fashioned knitting machines, it is preferable to employ either one of the two specific types of draw-off mechanisms illustrated in the.drawings, or the type shown and described in the co-pending application of Carlos-A. Hepp, Serial Number 365,- 429, filed November 13, 1940, now Patent No. 2,310,368, which types have been found most adaptable for the purpose of this invention.

In the type of draw-on mechanism particularly shown in Figures 1 to 4 there is suitably mounted upon the wareroller shaft S and within confines of each knitting section a pair of hollow casings I4 preferably of circular configuration and having a bore I6 suitably formed in the peripherial surface thereof and opening therein. Received within the, bore I of each casing I4 and rigidly connected thereto is one end I8 of a slotted tube 80 disposed so that its intermediate portion 82 progresses towards the needle N. As shown in the drawings, the portion 82 of each slotted tube 80 extending over the table T may be fixed thereon by means of a clamp 84. Associated with one of the casings 14 of each pair and fixed upon the wareroller shaft S, I

for instance, by means of lock screws 86, is a sleeve 88 having a flanged portion 90. A hub 92 is freely received on the sleeve 88 and abuts the flanged portion -90 thereof. The surface of the hub 02 abutting the flanged portion 90 of the sleeve 88 is formed with an annular recess 94 accommodating an adjustable stop 90 and a fixed stop 98 relatively disposed at diametrically op posed points on said flanged portion 90. The hub 92 is moreover provided with a pin I00 projecting into the recess 94 and adapted to contact the fixed stop 98 on the flanged portion 90 of the sleeve 88, a spring I02 being interposed between said pin and adjustable stop carried-by said flanged portion.

By reason of this construction, it will be appreciated that the hub 92 is capable of torsional resiliency which is desirable to assure the proper take-up operation, as will be fully pointed out hereinafter.

The hub 92 with its torsional resilient construction cooperates with a second hub I04 freely mounted on the wareroller shaft S to support a wareroller I06, said second hub being associated with the remaining casing I4. Each hub 92 and I04 is formed with a pulley-like extension I00 enclosed in the associated casing and h; ving a flexible cable IIO preferably in the form of a coil spring wound thcreabout. One end portion N2 of each of the flexible cables H0 is fixed to the extension I08 of the corresponding hub, as shown at H4, and the' other end portion H6 of each spring cable H0 passes into the associated slotted tube 80. Hooks II8 are suitably attached to the spring cables H0 and disposed for engagement with a welt rod adapted to be laid over the Welt fabric.

From the preceding description of the take-up i mechanism, it will be understood that rotation of tion of arrow E, which is utilized to maintain the fabric being knitted under proper tension and take up the same as knitted by the machine, may be accomplished by any suitable known means, such as a pulley or drum I20 affixed to said shaft and having a take-up cord I22 wound thereabout, said cord being maintained under constant pulley tension by passing in the well known manner over an overhead pulley I24 and thence down to a counterweight I20.

The Welt rod hooks II8 may also be brought into their position adjacent the needles N, that is. to the position shown in the drawings, by manually rotating the wareroller shaft S in the direction of arrow Fl In that type of mechanism particularly shown in Figures and 6, there is mounted on the wareroller shaft S a wareroller I06 for each knittin sectionof the knitting machine. The wareroller shaft S is provided with the pulley or drum I connected by means of the take-up cord I22 to a weight I20 after the cord passes over the fixed pulley I24. The pulley or drum I20 which is connected in the usual manner to the I wareroller shaft S is subjected to a force by reason of the weight I28 acting through the cord I22 to cause clockwise rotation of said shaft S. The wareroller I00 is mounted for relative rota tional movement on the. wareroller shaft S and. for that purpose, coil springs I30 are connected to the rnds of said roller and adjacent portions of said shaft.

As shown, the outer ends of the springs I30 are attached to the wareroller I06 as indicated at I32. while the inner ends of said springs are connected to the shafts, as indicated at I34. Thus the wareroller is driven in a counterclockwise clirec'l'ion by the shaft S, but through the springs I30. so that some relative resilient movement therebetween can occur.

Associated with the wareroller I06 are takeup straps I36 passing around a drum I38 mounted on s aft I40 journalled in brackets I42 mounted on the table T. The hooks II8 are convenient y attached to the straps I36 to engage the Welt rod R when in place.

The operation of the improved mechanism as 7 In using fhisimproved mechanism, the initial cou ses of setting up loops are formed by the operation of the knitting machine in the usual manner. Following the formation of the init al courses of setting up loops. the welt bars B are brought into operative relationship with the spring means such as represented at C.

During the formation of the initial courses of setting-up loops, the operation of the Welt bars for the hook-up and the knitting of a certain amount of the welt fabrics, the welt rod holders with their welt rods R are located in their inactive position, that is, in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 or 6, the handle 64 having previously been swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 8, thus rotating the shaft 22 in a direction opposite to the arrow so that the spring actuated bar 68 engages the face 10 of the cam block 66 on said shaft, accordingly looking the same against accidental rotation.

Any time after a sufficient amount of welt fabric has been knitted, but before the draw-off action of the welt bars has been spent, the welt rod holders 20, having the welt rods inserted therein, are moved to their active position by swinging the handle 64 to the position shownin full lines in Figure 8 which rotates the shaft 22 in the direction of the arrow and brings the face 69 of the cam block 66 in position for engagement by the spring-pressed bar 68, thus again locking the same against accidental rotation.

This movement of the welt rod holders 28 to their active position, of course, brings the welt rods R in engagement with the welt fabrics being drawn under yieldable tension by the welt bars. However, as will appear from Figure 11, due to the construction of said holders 20, specifically because of the provision of the pivotal connection 32 between the brackets 24 and arms 34 thereof, and because of the leaf springs 56 associated therewith-the respective pairs of complementary welt rod holders are capable of individual adaptation to the particular knitting section in which they are mounted. In other words, if it so happens that the welt fabric F in one or more of the multiple knitting sections of the machine is tighter thanthe fabric in the remaining sections, then the tighter fabric will not be subjected to increased strain as would be the case if such fabric in contact with its associated welt rod would have to support the weight of the entire welt rod support and operating mechanism, but the tighter fabric will act in opposition to the action of the springs 56 to cause the corresponding pairs of complementary welt rod holders to bring their welt rods in contact with the fabric in the associated knitting section with the result that the strain is evenly and selectively distributed throughout the various knitting sections and the tension is more uniformly equalized in the respective fabrics.

As the knitting progresses, any slack that may occur in the welt fabrics due to lengthening thereof or to other causes, is effectively taken up by the action of the springs 56 on the welt rod holders which constantly press the welt rods into positive engagement with said fabrics until the welt rods reach a point where they lay, as represented in Figure 12, in alignment with the hooks H8. At this point, the welt rod draw-off mechanism is actuated so that the hooks H8 throughout the entire length of the machine simultaneously engage and withdraw the welt rods from their holders substantially to the position shown in Figure 13 wherein the setting up loops of the initial course of the fabric in each knitting section engage the oifset portions P of the welt hooks B and the welt rod draws off the welt fabric in a fold under the welt bar.

When the knitting of the welt fabric is completed, the welt bars perform their function to turn and form the stocking welts by transferring the initial courses of loops back onto the needles in the usual manner. As represented in Figure 14, during the movement of the welt bars towards the needles to effect the turning of the welts, the welt rod mechanism operates therewith by permitting the welt rods to move towards the needles, which is necessary because of the shortening of the welt fabric due to the turning thereof,

Following the turning and formation of the stocking welts, the knitting of the stocking leg blanks is proceeded with in the customary manner, the welt rods and their associated draw-01f mechanism being operated to take up the fabric in the usual way.

Any time after the welt rods have been withdrawn from their holders, the same may be returned to their inactive position as hereinbefore described, thus affording ample time to place other welt rods in engagement with said holders for operation at the required time during the subsequent knitting of another set of stocking blanks.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the present invention affords a most convenient mechanism adapted to properly support the weld rods for the multiple sections of a knitting machine, and to simultaneously lay said rods on the fabric for operation in their respective knitting sections, while constituting a most simple, yet effective, means of selectively applying an evenly distributed strain to the fabrics in all the sections of the machine, and of advantageously equalizing the tension throughout.

It will likewise be appreciated that the present invention provides a method and means whereby longitudinal and transversal yieldable forces are applied to the knitted fabric while the knitting thereof is in progress. These forces according to the invention may be applied simultaneously in all the sections of a multi section knitting machine, but are individual to each section. In other words, while the invention provides means operable to subject the fabrics throughout the entire machine to a tensioning force in a drawoff direction, that is, lengthwise of the fabrics, and to a tensioning force at substantially right angles to the draw-01f direction, that is, crosswise of the fabrics, the invention also provides means operable to render said forces yieldable within each section, so that the yieldability of the tensioning forces becomes individual to each knitting section.

Obviously, the construction shown and described is capable of several modifications and, therefore, any modifications coming within the scope of the subjoined claims are to be considered within the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a flat knitting machine, a welt rod mechanism comprising: a welt rod holding device including a plate, a fixed element on said plate, and a movable element yieldably and pivotally mounted on the plate and having means cooperating with said fixed element for engaging and holding the welt rod and defining separate positive guiding paths for the insertion and the withdrawal of the welt rod into and from its engagement.

2. A welt rod supporting device comprising: a shaft; a bracket having a split construction to constitute a shaft engaging bearing and relatively short and elongated extensions; an'arm pivoted to said short extension of the bracket and terminating with a laterally extended projection; a plate adjustably carried by said projection on the arm; a block on said plate; a generally V-shaped member pivoted at its apex to said plate and having its diverging branches located for cooperation with said block to engage and support the welt rod therebetween; spring means engaging said member and normally acting thereon to yieldably maintain said branches in position for cooperation with said block; and spring means operatively associated with said arm to yieldably urge the same in contact with said elongated extension of the bracket. 1

3. A welt rod supporting device comprising: a shaft; a bracket secured to said shaft; a rigid arm pivoted to said bracket and having weltrod engaging means including a member and elements mounted thereon and cooperatively associated for receiving, holding, and releasing the welt rod; and spring means operatively associated with said arm to yieldably urge the same in one direction.

4. A welt rod supporting device comprising: a

shaft; a bracket secured to said shaft; a rigid arm pivoted at one end portion to said bracket; welt rod engaging means including a member carried by the freeend portion of said arm and elements mounted thereon and cooperatively associated for receiving, holding, and releasing the welt rod; and spring means operatively'associated with said arm to yieldably urge the same in one direction.

5. A welt rod supporting device comprising: a shaft; a bracket having a split construction to constitute a shaft engaging bearing and relatively short and elongated extensions; a rigid arm pivoted to said short extension and having welt rod engaging means; and spring means operatively associated with said arm to yieldably urge the same in contact with said elongated extension of the bracket.

6. A welt rod supporting device comprising: a shaft; a bracket having a split construction to constitute a shaft engaging bearing and relatively short and elongated extensions; a rigid arm pivoted at one end to said short extension; welt rod engaging means carried by the free end portion of said arm; and spring means operatively associated with said arm to yieldably urge the same in contact with said elongated extension of the bracket.

7. A welt rod supporting device comprising: a supported plate; a block on said plate; a generally V-shaped member pivoted at its apex to said plate and having its diverging branches lo cated for cooperation with said blockftosupport the welt rod therebetween; and spring means engaging said member and normally acting thereon to yieldably maintain said branches in position for cooperation with said block.

8. In a method of tensioning fabric being knitted on a knitting machine provided with a take-up mechanism including a welt bar and a welt rod engageablc With the fabric, the steps of withdrawing the welt bar with a continuous yieldable force in a generally horizontal direction, and simultaneously forcing the welt rod bars in a generally horizontal direction, andv simultaneously forcing the Welt rods in unison on the fabrics with a continuous yieldable force individual to each of said Welt rods in a generally downward direction while the sections of the machine operate to knit substantial length portions of their respective fabrics.

10. A method of placing a welt rod on a welt fabric being knitted on a knitting machine and drawn off ina general horizontal direction, comprising the step of positioning the welt rod onto the fabric with a positive continuous yieldable pressing force in'a general downward direction while the machine operates to knit a substanial length portion of the fabric and acts to impart draw-off movement thereto.

11. A method of placing welt rods on welt fabrics in a multi section knitting machine without tensioning the welt fabrics unequally, comprisingthe steps of: positioning the welt rods onto the fabrics with a positive continuous yieldable force while the sections of the machine operate to knit substantial length portions of said fabrics and the machine acts to impart draw-ofi" movement to said fabrics, and maintaining said force onto the fabrics at fixed points in relation to the draw-off movement of said fabrics.

12. A method of placing welt rods 0n welt fabrics in a multi section knitting machine without tensioning the welt fabrics unequally, comprising the steps of positioning the welt rods onto the fabrics with a positive continuous yieldable force in a general downward direction while the sections of the machine operate to knit substantial length portions of said fabrics and the machine acts to impart draw-01f m Jement t0 the fabrics in a-generally horizontal direction, and maintaining said force onto the fabrics at fixed points in relation to the draw-off movement of the fabrics.

13. In a method of tensidning fabricbeing knitted on a knitting machine provided with a -take-up mechanism including a welt bar and a Welt rod engageable with said fabric, the steps of: withdrawing the welt bar with a continuous yieldable force to impart draw-off movement to the fabric; and positioning and maintaining the welt rod against the fabric with a continuous yieldable force and at'a fixed point in relation to the draw-off movement of the fabric while the machine operates to knit a substantial length 14. In a method of tensioning fabric being knitted on a knitting machine provided with a take-up mechanism including a welt bar and a welt rod engageable with said fabric. the steps of: withdrawing the welt bars with a continuous yieldable force in a generally horizontal direction to impart draw-oil movement to the fabric: and positioning and maintaining the welt rod against the fabric with a continuous yieldable forcein a generally downward direction and at a fixed point in relation to the draw-off movement of the fabric while the machine operates to knit a substantial length portion thereof.

15. In a flat fabric knitting machine, the combination with a welt bar and a welt rod engageable with fabric being knitted, of: means operable to yieldably withdraw continuously in a generally horizontal direction the welt bar and fabric in engagement therewith; and means operable simultaneously with the operation of the first mentioned means to yieldably press continuously in a generally vertical direction the welt rod against the fabric while the machine operates to knit a substantial length portion of the fabric.

16. In a flat fabric knitting machine having a plurality of knitting sections, the combination with a welt bar and a welt rod for each of said sections engageable with the fabrics being knitted thereby, of: means operable to withdraw in a generally horizontal direction all the welt bars in unison with a continuous yieldable force individual to each of said bars and fabric in engagement therewith; and means operable simultaneously with the operation of the first men-' tioned means to press in a generally downward direction all of said welt rods on the fabric with a continuous yieldable force individual to each of said rods and the fabric in engagement therewith while the sections of the machine operate to knit substantial length portions of their respective fabrics.

17. In a flat fabric knitting machine; the combination with a yieldable welt bar withdrawin mechanism operable to yieldably draw off continuously in a generally horizontal direction the fabric being knitted on the machine, of: a welt rod holding mechanism operable to apply a continuous yieldable pressure in a generally downward direction on the fabric simultaneously with the operation of said welt bar withdrawing mechanism while the machine operates to knit a substantial length portion of the fabric.

18. In a flat fabric knitting machine provided with a draw-off mechanism whereby the fabric being knitted is subject to draw-off movement in a generally horizontal direction, the combination with a welt rod of: a pair of complementary welt rod holders, each of said holders comprising a bracket, a welt rod supporting arm carried by said brackets for positioning and retaining the welt rod in a fixed location over the fabric while the latter is subjected to draw-off movement by said draw-off mechanism, and yieldable means disposed between said bracket and armand acting on the latter to yieldably urge the welt rod against the fabric in a generally downward direction while said welt rod is positioned and retained in said location.

19. In a flat fabric knitting machine having a plurality ofknitting sections and provided with a draw-off mechanism whereby the fabrics being knitted in said sections'are subjected to drawoff movement in a generally horizontal direction, the combination with a welt rod for each of said sections, of: a shaft common to all the sections and mounted for rocking movement, a pair of complementary welt rod holders for holding the welt rod in each section, each of said holders comprising a member attached to said shaft for rocking movement therewith, a welt rod supporting arm carried by said member and adapted, upon rocking movement of the shaft in one direction, to position and retain the welt rods in fixed locations over the fabrics while the latter are subjected to draw-off movement by said draw-01f mechanism, and yieldable means between said members and arms and acting on the latter to yieldably urge the welt rods against the fabrics in a generally downward direction while said welt rods are positioned and retained in said locations. 7

20. In a hosiery fabric knitting machine provided with a draw-off mechanism whereby the fabric being knitted is subjected to draw-off movement in a generally horizontal direction: complementary welt rod holders movable to active and inactive positions; and independent spring means individually associated with each of said holders and separately operable upon moving the holders into operative position to apply on the fabric being knitted a yielding pressure in a generally downward direction and at a fixed location against the fabric while the latter is subjected to draw-ofi movement by said draw-off mechanism.

21. In a, hosiery fabric knitting machine having a plurality of knitting sections and provided with a draw-off mechanism whereby the fabrics bein knitted in said sections are subjected to draw-off movement in a generally horizontal direction: a pair of complementary welt rod holders for holding the welt rod in each section; means for simultaneously moving said holders to active and inactive positions; and independent spring means individually associated with each of said holders and separately operable upon moving the holders to operative position to apply on the fabrics being knitted in the associated sections an individual yieldable pressure in a generally downward direction and at fixed locations upon the fabrics while the latter are subjected to drawoif movement by ,said draw-off mechanism, whereby the tension on the fabrics is substantially equalized and evenly distributed over all the sections of the machine.

22. A felt rod supporting device for a knitting machine comprising: a rotatably mounted shaft; arms secured to said shaft and adapted to support a welt rod for movement into and out of engagement with the lmitted fabric; and resilient elements engaging the arms to resiliently press the welt rod against the fabric during the knitting thereof.

23. A welt rod supporting mechanism for a multi section fiat hosiery knitting machine comprising: a rotatably mounted shaft extending substantially the length of the machine; a pair of spaced arms associated with each knitting section and secured to the shaft and adapted to support a welt rod for movement into and out of engagement with the knitted fabric; and resilient means for continuously and yieldably pressing all of the welt rods into engagement with the knitted fabrics as they are knitted.

24. In a flat fabric knitting machine, the combination with a welt bar and a welt rod engageable with the fabric being knitted, of: means operable to resiliently withdraw continuously in a general horizontal direction the welt bar and fabric in engagement therewith; and means operable simultaneously with the operation of the first mentioned means to resiliently press continuously in a general horizontal direction the welt rod against the fabric while the machine operates to knit a substantial length of the fabric.

25. In a multi section full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine, in combination: a welt rod supporting and positioning device for each knittin section consisting of a pair of spaced arms; welt rod supporting devices carried by the arms; resilient means for resiliently pressing the devices and the welt rods supported thereby towards the knit-t and a resilient device cooperating with said cam block for holding the shaft in an adjusted position.

26. In a multi section full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine, in combination: a welt rod supporting and positioning mechanism consisting of a device for each knitting section for supporting a welt rod in inoperative position, and capable of movement into operative position to press the welt rod against the knitted fabric; means for simultaneously moving all of the devices to operative and inoperative positions; and a welt rod draw-oil mechanism including a wareroller shaft.

welt rod engaging means for each knitting section, and means connecting the wareroller shaft to said second means and including a resilient element. a

27. In a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine, the combination of a welt rod supporting mechanism and a welt rod draw-oil mechanism, said welt rod supporting mechanism consisting of a rotatably mounted shaft, arms secured to said shaft, welt rod supporting devices secured to said arms, means for turning said shaft to move said arms and devices towards the knitted fabric to engage thewelt rod with the fabric, and resilient elements for resiliently pressing the welt rod into engagemen with the fabric; and said welt rod draw-0H mechanism consisting of a wareroller shaft, 9. wareroller thereon, means for tensionlng said wareroller shaft, welt rod engaging elements, and resilient connnections between said wareroller and said elemen ALFRED HOFMANN. WALTER HARTMANN. 

